Machine for treating flax.



No; 847,611. PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907 R SCHOPIBLD MAGHINB PORA-TRBATINGFL'AX.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 29, 1904.

Win eSSes;

' F05 er? PATENTED MAR. 19, 19M

A R. SGHOPIBLD. MACHINE POR TREATING PLAXV APPLICATION FILED PEB.29,190.4.

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w'zesss/ UErrEn s'rnfrEs rafrEnrf Lorrie-'fit1 ROBERT SCHOEIELD, OENEWBEDEORD MA'ssAoEsErrsyjssieNoa. 'ro

AMERICAN LINEN ooMPANY, or NEW HAVEN, coENEcr1cUfr,.-aj een 4ofMassachusetts,'v `and 'usefulmp --Treating speciificationf j Po'RA'rioNQE MAINE.

MACHINE FOR TRETENG F'LAX. y

Specification of Letters Patent.

resented Marea 19, i907.`

Annlication led February 29, 1904. Serial N o.`195,716. i

citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in'NeW Bedford, in thev county ofBristol and State ve invented certain new lax;- following is a i,Thisimproveinent relates :to i'ibertreating machineaendfrnore'particularly to that blass of suchgrnachin .as automatically manipulllate fiber plants. especially flax, wit-.hl the obl# jecttoseparate theber from the .woody or shiye portions thereof. This object has hereftfore been` partially"accomplished by various meansas, *forliristancc,crushing-rollers, intermeshing'tootbled Wheels, or combing mechanismi orby" these devices used in com bination or succession-but by these andother-means as heretoforefuse'd the waste and breakagefofglibcrhas beenexcessive.

.object of my improvement isto furnish 'means adapted for operating onthe ma. terialin a progressive marmer and with increasing mechanicalintensity and more or less governed by the qua ity and quantity.

of I'thestock being treated, so that aprelatively large quantity and "arelatively hi h stalksor other material fed between said quality smallloss by Waste and breakage.

r 'With these objects in view I have providedA an improved machineembodying my present invention, whichI machine l'in the form illus'-trated 1n .the accompanying. drawlngs comprises a series of pu leys orrollsgpreferab'ly decreasing indiameter rom-the supply end of themachine toward the delivery end thercof` andmso arranged and actuatedthat a pair of conveying members comprising continuous coactingfiber-conveying belts may be caused to travel aroundmand between saidvrolls in alternate bends opposite. directions, re'- spectively, in such4manner that the iiaxbelts :will be bent successively in oppositedirectionsf`a11d witlrincreasinv sharpness' of bends,v and at the sametime said stalks will be causedlto move locally lengthwise in relai tionto oneyanother, and thereby abrade the partially and increasingly brokenand loos another. This 'simultaneous bending and rubbing action subjectsthe fiber to a com,

ment'sfin' Machines for 4 of fiber vis preserved with a relative y poundtreatment of peciiliarand compleir character, operating with unusualefficiencyl for the separation 'of the shives from the ber', of the iiaxand for breaking upthe shive ,thoroughlybeiore it is'passed 4out tothepoint where y the Shiva-fragments will be j shaken out or'fo'therwisedisposed of. 5 The freed shive fragments willi-hen act as abra--- siveson the remaining partlydeshived fiber.

(lne feature of the present.improvement relates to crushing-rollsicrlseizing andpass`r ing the-stalks and fiber to the disinteg-ratn'g-Abelts, therolls crushing thefstaiks andlgrb'er pre aratory to thesubsequent treatment and ice ing' the crushed material directly to Ybelts.. in this way the action upon the 'liber by the beltsand coactingrollers will be niade more uniform, since the `larger stalks wiligbecrushed relatively more than the smaller stalks. 'j f In the drawingsaccompanying and fo ing la' art ofthis specification, Figure 1 ina sidee evati'on with the side frame removedof a machi-n'illustrating oneform, andvliich. may be the preferred form, of my imprese?. y

ment. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe frame, illustrating partially indiagram an ar# rangement of framingugearing, andten'sion devlcessuitable 'for' mounting and driyiiji operative parts embodying myiniprvez;

ment'. v"Fig '3' is a -plan view with some .parte` 'broken away and someomitted of--the nia-z chine illustrated in Figvzl.. .Fig `4 is a plan.

which said belts are accelerated-and retarded i in relation to oneanother. y Y Similar characters 'of reference y"indicatesimilar partsthroughoutthe drawings.

A feed-a ron 2, 'preferably inthe'fform of 'an endless welt, is suitablysupported on rolls l3 andv 4, and theu per ply of said beltvis*A causedto travel in t e direction of the arrow the machine ,by means' ofAsuitab e gearing loo ' adjacent thereto toward the main ortion ofhereinafter'morefully described. Roll is y mounted for free rotation lona shaft in brackets 8, which brackets are slid'ably mounted.

' integrating-belt 21.

on rearwardly-extending'portions t). of side frames 10. Saidbrackets 8may be held rigidly in position on extensions 9 by means of 12 Roll 4`may be'mounted for rotation in bearings, ,as 66, inside frames 10.

`Suitably mounted Afor rotation one above theether contiguous to thedelivery end of theapron is a pair of oppositely-disposed By means ofgearing i,

cruslnng-rolls 5 and 6. connecting them with the driving-shaft 7 theserolls are caused to revolve at a surface speed preferably somewhat inexcess of the surface speed of apron 2. The bearings of the upper roll 6are vmounted in verticallyslidable boxes 16, and said upper roll 6 maybe inipelled toward lower roll 5 by springs 17. l'the pressure exertedby said springs may be varied by means of adjusting-.screws 18, threadedinto the upper wall of box-caps 19 and detained from turning bysuitable' check-nuts 67.

A pair of rolls 13 14 is suitably .mounted for rotation in side frames10. Either or both of said rolls l preferably drive by gearing fromdriving-shaft? Under said roll 14 i pass in the direction of therotation of said rollan upper disintegratingbelt 2O and over roll 13 andina similar direction a lowerdis- I then pass these belts in conjunctionwith one another .upwardly found roll 14 and then over roll 22,;then`edownwardly under roll 23, and so on to` gather-over and undersuccessivarolls, respectively, until roll 29 is passed. The zone of'coaction of saidbelts 2O and 21 thus ex-v tends Y through an intricateand circuitous path from their point of meeting. in passing under roll14 lto their point of separation i'n passing'under roll 29. From thispoint belts 26 21 are separated, the upper belt being passed overtension-roll 32 and thence over idler-roll 33 back to its starting-placeunder .roll 14, thus forming an endless circuit.

Belt 21 after leavingr roll 29 is passed over idler-roll l30 and thenceover tension-roll 31 back to its startingplace over roll 13, thusforming a continuous circuit. ,v TheI rolls 13 and 33 and tension-rolls31 and 32 are. preferably cron'fned, Fig. 3, so as` to reserve. the

' direction of travel of belts20`an 21. A

, successively, respectively.

Rolls 22 to 30 l-preferably decrease in size from roll 22 downwardly andgear a part or -all vof them to large gearI 15. u Such of the rolls asare geared tolarge gear 15-may be .timed so as to allV have the samesurface speed; but I preferably gear them so that t eir surface speedmay be slightly increased Rolls '13 14 are 'preferably so situated inadvanceof rolls 5 an'd (f3/that the latter will deliver without specialassistance the partially-crushed stalks l into the mouth-likeopeningbetween. belts 20 21 as said belts run inwardly faeeto face Werrolls 13 14.

Some suitable tension devices for belts 2O and 21 may be used, and thatherein illustrated comprises for upper belt 20 a roll 32 revolublymounted in swinging arms 34 hxed to rock-shaft 35, suitably supported i1i portions of frames 10. Fixed to and depend ing fronrshaft 35 is ahand-lever 36, which is connected for tension by spring 39 to a part ofone ofV frames 10. Lower belt 21 may be held taut in a similar manner byroll 31, revolubly mounted in swinging arms 37, fixed to rock-shaft 38,mounted in frames 10'. A spring 39, attached by one end thereof to oneadjacent frames 1t), exerts tension on said arms 37. A hand-lever 40,fixed to shaft 38, is provided to facilitate manipulatingr the device.

In their preferred form running members 2() 21 comprise wovengbelts andpreferably composed of flax,l so that in the treatment of flax'thisfiber will be subjected to the mechanical action of its own kind ofmaterial, lso that in a sense thc liax being treated will be subjectedtothe attrition of its own fiber.

Atable,` as A63, is provided at the delivery end of the machine toreceive the material as'delivered by belts 20 21.

Power-shaft 7 may be operated from any suitable sdurce of power byordinary mean sw as, for'instance, a belt (notshown) connecting withpulley 41 on said shaft. The geartrainswhich drive several rollswill`best be understood by) reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings, inwhich the various gears are illustrated in. diagrammatic ferm. Gear 5UonpoWer-shaft 7 meshes with and 'drives gear 49 atl the rearward end ofshaft 51, en which roll 5 is secured. Gn'the forward' end `of saidshaft' 51 is secured gear 43, which meshes with gear 47 Vof roll 6 andals( through intermediate gear 46 drives gear 45 1 f apron-roll 4. 4Gearl50 also meshes with and drives large gear 15, which in turn meshes withand drivcsthe gears on several ofthe endless-belt rolls arranged abovevsaid gear 15. The first gear driven di-rectiy by gear 15 isgear 52 onshaft 42, to which shaft is fixed roll 14. Adjacent to gear 52 and fixedto the same shaft therewith is gear 53, which ymeshes witliand drivesgear 54 on shaft 43,

to which shaft is fixed rcll v22. Gears 55, 56, 57, and 58, meshingwitl1an l..d1iven by gear 15, are fast to shafts 44, 60, 61, and 62,respectively, and through said shafts actuatc rolls 23, 25, 27, and 29,respectively, fixed y.trated as idler-rolls,I being driven by thc beltscontacting with them. The' directions of rotation ofthe varicusgears areindicated I by arrowsth'ereon,respectively.

, .The operation of my improved machine is thereon. Rolls 24, 26, 28,and 3()V are illus.

of arms 37 and by the other end thereof to i as follows: Power beingapplied to rotate shaft 7 in an anticloc'kwise direction, the varicusrolls and belts of the 'machine are put in motion by the means alreadydescribed,

the iiax-stalk's or other material' to be operbe sufficiently crushed inpassing between said rolls... From therlce by thecontinued revoluticn ofsaid rolls crushed stalks are fed forward into the grip of the opposingdisintegrating-belts 20 21.. The stalks tend to separate these beltssomewhat, thereby increasing the tension of said belts, which thereupontend to grip more rmly the stalks between them. The stalks are bentupwardly by the belts around roll 14 and .thence upwardly and in areversed bend over roll 22, then downwardly under roll 23, which lastroll not only again reverses the bend of the belts and the stalksbetween them, but said roll 23, being smaller in diameter than roll 22,also

' bendsthe stalks in a sharper bend, thereby actingupon some shiveportions not acted upon in their transit between the belts about.

rolls 14 and 2'2 and ,increasing the bending action on such shiveportions as were somewhat bent in their previous travel. Coincident withthe bending action on the stalks the peculiar path of the belts 20 21about said rolls causes opposite coacting portions of the faces of saidbelts to be alternately accelerated and Vretarded with relation to oneanother. This action is particularly illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein theedges of said belts are shown with equidistant portions, as 64 64a 64b,&c., as to' belt 21 and' 65at 65h., &c., as to belt 20, shaded darkerthan the main portions of such edges. Por;

. tions 64 65 are lllustrated as opposite one another, and at 64a 65a isshown the manner in y which belt 20 in contact with roll 14 travels .Yon a circle of shorter radius than that traver'sed by belt 21, which isseparated from said 'roll by the thickness of belt 20 and by whatevermaterial may be between .said belts. Belt 20 therefore movesmore-rapidly, measured in degrees, about the axis of roll 14 than belt21 and leads it in their travel' toward roll 22. The amount of .thislead continues to increase to positions 64b 65h, where it about reachesits maximum. Then the in-` ment, at 64e 65e belt 21 is Iin the lead ofbeltl 20, and as the belts in passing about roll 23 again reverse theirturning portions 64f 65,t7 come opposite one another, and so on. -I thusobtain a constantlyalternative` lengthwise abrading action of the beltsupon the stalks between them and also a constant abrading action of the4stalks one upon another as they pass onward between the-belts. In thisway the entire mass of materialbeing treated is subjected to a kind ofattrition action, and during this process the freed broken andgranulated shive portions of the stalks operate as a grinding orabrading means for the further treatment of the material not yet 'ldisintegrated. The stalks then continue in alternately-oppositedirections between the belts around succeeding rolls 24 25,&.,

each roll being of less diameter thanits iin- A mediate predecessor, andthereby bending the dax-stalks with increasing sharpness of bends. Thesecombined bending and abrading actions in successively-increasingintensity are continued until roll 29 is reached, l' when upper belt 20passes upwardly over ten-A -V sion-roll 32 and lower belt 21 passesoverroll 30 and downwardly over tension-roll 31.y Just after lower belt21 passes over roll 30 the disintegrated iibrous mass is delivered totable 63, and the freed shives and woody por-y tions .may be blown outor otherwise removed from the brous portions in any convenient or.well-known manner.

. By reference to 'Fig'. 1 it will be seenthat the' rolls are arrangedintwo sets or series. The axes ofthe oute'r series of rolls-namely, 22,24, 26, and 28are arranged in the are of a circle, and the inner seriesot' rolls, comprislrolls 23 and 26, and lso on 'through the entireseries of rolls. It will also. beobserved by In the reference to suchview that the innermost points on the perimeters on the outer series ofrolls are arranged in the arc of a circle and..

that the `outermost points ofthe perimeters of the rolls of theinner'series are arranged. in the same arc, thel arrangement between therespective series being sta gered. This arrangement will bring the ro lsof' the inner series closer together than the rolls ofthe outer series,so that the belts and material being treated in their passage about therolls will be wrapped about the outer rolls toI a greater extent thanthey wilulhbe wrapped about the innerrolls. In the lpresent instance thewrapping about ea'ch'of the rollsA 22, 24,26, and 28 comprises aboutthreechine in its treatment upon the fibrous plants,

ior

as above referred to.

1.. In a fiber-treating machine the combination with a pair of coactingbelts, of rolls Jfor successivelybending said belts in oppositedirections in their .zone of coaction'and tension devices fors-'closingthe coacting Tbelts lalternately-about alternate rolls onto the liberduring the successive bendings of saidbelt's` and the fiber betweenthemin alternate' directions, and meansfor actuating the rolls atsuccessively-'increasing .surface speeds respectively.y

,2.A VIn a fiber-treating machine the combination With coactin` runi1ingmembers of means for successive y bending said running members inopposite directions and in increasing sharpnessfof bends, and .forclosing the lrunning members alternately about the bending means ontoAtheiiber during the suc cessive bendings of the running members andiber'betvveen them .in alternate direc-v tions. l

conveyer and disintegrator comprising` eplus rality, df ruiming membersin combination with means for actuating and controlling said members forbending the fiber in alternate directions and inincreasing sharpness ofbends and subjecting tion, substantially as described,

' 4. Inaiber-treating machine the combination With a pair of coacting'endless belts, of means comprising successive rolls o f successivelydecreasing diameter for alternately supporting at successive points eachof said atetlie rolls. 5'. In a bertreating machine the combination witha pair of coacting r'unning'members, of means comprising` successive'rolls ofsuecessively decreasing rdiameter for alternately supporting atsuccessive points .each of said coactmg- .running members respectively,each` of said running.. members being supported-at intervening points byits coacting running member, andmeans for actuating the suceessiverollsat successively-increasling surface speeds respectively.v

f 6. In a liber-treating machine' the combination with,l two coactingendless' belts, of"

means ior guiding and driving said belts in successiveoppositelyldisposed bends of suc? cessivelyincreasing sharpness, intheir zone of coaction. 1

7'. In einher-treating machine the combiff the same to disintegra nationWith two coacting endless belts, of means comprisingr a serieso'f rolls,said rolls 'being of successively-decreasing diameter respectively, forguiding and driving said belts in successive oppositely-disposed bendsin their zone of coaction, and means for actuating the rolls.

8. In a fiber-'treating machine the combination with two coactingendless belts, of means comprising a seriesof rolls, said rolls being ofsuccessively-decreasing diameter respectivelyfor guiding and drivingsaid belts in successive oppositely-disposed bends'in their zone ofcoaction, and means for actuating each of thefseries of rolls atsuccessively increasing surface speeds respecftively.

Vl9. In a iiber-treating machine the combination of a plurality ofcoacting crushingi rolls, With op ositely disposed convoyjn belts mounteand adapt for bending and abrading in successively-increasing intensityber supplied thereto, and means tor actuating the rolls and the belts.y

10. In a fiber-treating machine the combination of a plurality ofcoacting crushing rolls, i .with o positely-disposed combined conveyingben ing'andabrading continuous belts., mounted -and .adapted fortreating `fiber in successively-increasing intensityan i 3. VIn afiber-treating machine a combined means fordirecti said belts insuccessive oppositely-dispose i bends, and means for actuating the'rolls and the belts.

1-l. A machine for treating fibrous material. embodying belts forcarrying between them the niaterialnnden treatment, and a series ofrblls disposed alternately upon opposite sides .of an arc of a circle instaggered 'arrangement and about which rolls the belts pass, making aturn of more than a half-cir? cle about each roll.

` 12. In a fibentreating machine the combination yviflthan outer seriesot rolls arranged with theinnermost points of their perimeters in an'arcofa circle, of an inner series of rolls arrangedwithvthe outermostpoints of their perimeters in the saine. arc, the rolls of therespective series' being in relatively staggered positions, and a pairofbelts passing alternately aboutjthe rolls'of the respective se- .ries-C j 1 3. In a fiber-treating machine Athe combination Wit-h an outerseries of rolls arranged with the innermost points of their peri metersin an'arc oi a circle, of an inner series of rolls arranged with theoutermost )oinfs of thil r perimeters in the same arc, the rolls of thc`res ective series beingrespectivelystaggered,

an a air oi' belts passing alternately about the rolls ofthe respectiveseries, the belts and VI naterial carried between them in passing aboutthe said inner rolls describing aboyt two-thirds .of a circle, and whenpassing about the outer'rolls about tlii'eeslourths ol a circle.

IIO

. 14. In a fiber-treating machine the combination with an outer seriesofrolls arrangedwith the innermost points of their perimeters in an arcof a circle, oi' an inner series ol' rolls "5. arranged with theoutermost points of their pel'inietersin the same arc, the rolls lof therespective series being relatively staggered,.

.a air of belts passing alternately .about the rol s of the respectiveseries, one belt v=con .rc tacting with the rolls of one series and theother belt with the rolls of the other series7 the distance between theinner rolls beingr suilicient for permitting the-passing of the s pliesof the be s while carrying material uni 5 der treatment between them',the beltsand material carried between them in passing bination withI twoseries or rolls arranged fu staggered relation, and a air of beltspassing alternately about the ro s of the respective series, the beltsand the'naterial carried between these in passing about the said rollsdescribingr more than a half-circle, and the belts having a localrelative movement. ROBERT SCHOFIELD." Witnessesz' EDWARD T1 BANNoN,

THOMAS KNoT'r.

